


Old Wounds Made Fresh

by Trickster_Angel



Series: Of Rose and Fate, Of Lirena and Brydann [15]
Category: Dragon Age (Comics), Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II
Genre: Children, Gen, Injury, Parent-Child Relationship, Reunions, Worry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-03
Updated: 2020-10-03
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:14:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,257
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26784235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Trickster_Angel/pseuds/Trickster_Angel
Summary: Anders has spent years helping people in Tevinter as he had done in Kirkwall. When a young girl comes to him for help, he doesn't think anything of it until he realizes that she is connected to his past.
Relationships: Fenris & Original Character(s), Fenris/Female Hawke
Series: Of Rose and Fate, Of Lirena and Brydann [15]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1621267
Kudos: 19





	Old Wounds Made Fresh

**Author's Note:**

> I'm including this in the series since it doesn't contradict anything yet. We'll see when DA4 comes out.

Anders had been doing well for himself. After he and Hawke had parted ways, he'd gone to Tevinter, the only country where he wouldn't be killed on sight. Hawke had done a great job protecting him but she had two little babies to worry about. She didn't need him along to endanger them. 

So he had moved to Tevinter. Minrathos was a beautiful city, if one were part of the upper class. But trying to become part of it would be foolish and would get him killed. Besides, Anders abhorred blood magic. He could never make it as a magister.

So he did what he'd always done, he helped people. He had an underground clinic for the soporati and the slaves. And it didn't take long for him to make a name for himself. Everyone was endlessly grateful, he never had a night without a good meal as thanks. They spent their little coin towards getting him supplies. Which he then put back into the community. It was a good cycle and he felt mostly safe. It was a good life.

The years passed as such. His memories of Kirkwall never left him. He missed his friends, but this was for the best. 

But his past came back to haunt him. The trouble started early one morning. Some of the locals were helping him set up for the day when a young girl walked up to him. It wasn't unusual for a child to come on behalf of a parent, usually a slave. And based on her features, Anders suspected she might be elf-blooded. Her green eyes were large, larger than most human children her age, which was approximately five. She had shoulder length black hair and tan skin. She wore a dress that was too finely made to be a slave's but too poor quality to be a noble's daughter. She was probably just a member of the common class. Honestly, she looked a little familiar but she wasn't one of the usual children. Anders couldn't place his finger on it. 

"Ser, please you need to help me," she said, walking right up to Anders. She spoke common, which was easier for Anders but unusual for children. They mostly spoke their mother tongue. Her big eyes were glistening with tears.

He took a knee so that he could look her in the eyes without looking down. "I'll help you. Are you hurt?"

The girl shook her head. "My papa is hurt bad. He can't get here. Please, help my papa. I can pay." The girl dug into her pockets and fished out a few coppers. She held them out to Anders. "Here! Please, you have to help him." She had started to cry, tears falling down her face. She sniffled.

Anders smiled at her and pet her head. "You hang onto that. I'll help your papa. What's your name?"

"Carrie."

One of his assistants brought him a cloth and he used it to wipe the girl's face. "It's nice to meet you, Carrie. I'm Anders. Can you show me where your papa is?"

Carrie nodded enthusiastically. "Come with me." She grabbed Anders's hand and led him out of the clinic. 

This could be a trap. Someone could have attacked the girl's father and told her where to go to get help. But Carrie was so worried that Anders knew it was worth the risk. He could handle himself easily enough.

Carrie led him into a poorer part of the city. People paid them no attention as they made their way through the district.

"Did your mama send you?" Anders asked.

Carrie shook her head. "Mama's not here anymore. It's just Papa, my sister and me." 

"How old is your sister?"

"Six. Like me. We're twins." 

Children were always so willing to share. At least it kept her distracted.

"And what's her name?"

"Lea."

"You both have very pretty names."

Carrie didn't reply to that. She just led Anders to a small house. Immediately, he heard a dog barking. 

"Mal?" A voice called. A familiar voice.

Carrie opened the door and a mabari ran at them. "Shh, Chance," she said, "It's okay."

The mabari stopped barking. 

"Mal, what's going on?" Anders knew that voice. He heard creaking from the other room. 

"Papa, no," a young voice said, probably Lea, "You're hurt."

"Papa, everything's fine," Carrie called, going into the other room, "I found a healer."

Anders followed her into the room and made direct eye contact with Fenris. Suddenly, all the pieces clicked into place.

Fenris was in Tevinter with his and Hawke's daughters. "Carrie"  _ was _ elf blooded, and her situation made sense considering that Fenris would never fit into proper Tevinter society. But she was nicely dressed because he must be making coin somehow. And it explained her use of common instead of Tevene. 

Fenris had called out to Mal, so "Carrie" must be Malika. That meant that "Lea" was Elizabeth. And now that he was thinking about it, Carrie had to be for Carver and Lea for Leandra. He really should have seen it sooner.

Now that that mystery was solved, Anders got a good look at Fenris. His hair was shorter than the last time he'd seen him. He had more scars but Anders hadn't seen a mark on Mal. So he was doing somewhat well at protecting the girls.

Mal was right about her father's state though. Fenris was covered in blood. There was a clear gash on his temple and his clothing was soaked through on his left side. He leaned on a bed post to stand, as Anders could see one of his leg bones protruding through the skin. 

There were various other minor injuries but those were the worst. And they would definitely get him killed.

Fenris finally broke eye contact with Anders and looked at his daughter. "Malika-"

"Be mad at her later. You need healing," Anders said. 

"I do not-"

Anders pushed him. Despite Fenris being a warrior and Anders being a mage, he fell back onto the bed.

"It's amazing you're alive right now," Anders said, already peeling away layers of clothing to get at the injuries. "You have two young daughters to think about. You're an idiot."

"I was protecting them."

"And I'm  _ sure _ the Blue Wraith has  _ nothing _ to do with you."

Fenris was silent. 

Anders pressed his hand against the side wound and allowed the magic to work. 

"Is Papa gonna be okay?" Beth asked.

"I'll be fine," Fenris said. He spoke slowly, as the healing was distracting him. 

"He'll be fine," Anders echoed.

"Girls, go into the other room," Fenris said, "It's time for Chance's dinner."

"Chance eats later," Mal said.

Anders finished with the wound and Fenris exhaled. He sat up and looked at them. "Girls."

The two moved to the other room.

"I can't believe you. Why would you bring them here?" Anders asked quietly, now moving onto the head wound. "You're their father. You have to protect them."

"I  _ am _ protecting them."

"Mal came and found me. What if someone had hurt her before she could? Did you even know she left the house?"

Fenris's forehead had finally stopped bleeding. It was a lucky thing Mal had come to get him. He was in bad shape.

Fenris didn't make eye contact. That told Anders everything he needed to know. Those little girls were smart.

"Where's Hawke? She must be furious with you." Anders knelt down to get a better look at Fenris's leg. Compound fractures were always nasty. "I have to reset the bone before I can heal it. Do you have something to bite on?"

"I won't scream," Fenris said.

"I'm resetting your bone. Yes, you will."

"My daughters are in the next room. No, I won't."

Anders doesn't believe him but Fenris was damn stubborn. He'd have to be the one to comfort his daughters after he scared them by screaming. 

"Alright." Anders set to work.

To his credit, Fenris barely made a sound. He bit his lip to blood but he didn't scream. Once the bone was back in place, Anders healed the wound closed. And Fenris was as good as new. 

"Hawke is dead," He said suddenly.

Anders's heart skipped a beat. Hawke walked into danger with a smile. She fought the Arishok and killed him. She fought a Harvester, the Knight Commander, and anyone who stood in her way. There was no way she was dead. " _ What? _ " 

"Hawke is dead. She went to fix the breach and never came back. Varric said she and the Inquisitor went into the fade and she didn't come out."

"When did this happen?" Anders asked.

"Three years ago."

Despite the ache in his heart, Anders said, "I'm sorry."

"Sorry doesn't bring her back. It doesn't keep our daughters safe."

"And what are you doing to guarantee that?" Anders snapped, "Killing slavers and bringing your little girls along? You could get them killed. And for what?"

There was a scream from the other room.

Despite just being healed, Fenris raced in. Anders was quick to follow. In spite of being only a few seconds slower than Fenris, he already had both girls in his arms and had pulled them away from the fire on the floor. Chance was standing between them and the fire.

Anders shot ice magic at the flames. They were doused in an instant. The floor was scorched but it hadn't spread far. They were lucky.

"Papa, I'm sorry," one of the girls said. Anders could hear the hitch in her voice as she cried.

"It's okay," Fenris soothed his daughter. Anders had never heard him so calm before.

But now that Anders was looking, there wasn't a candle or anything that could have caused the fire. Which left him with one possibility. 

Anders laughed. He couldn't help it. 

"What's so funny?" Fenris snapped as he put the girls back on the ground.

"Andraste's ti-" Anders stopped himself before he cursed in front of the girls. Fenris would probably kill him if he did. "Isn't it ironic? You, the one who hated mages, hated Hawke from the start because of who she was, said all mages should be locked up, have a mage daughter!"

"I didn't hate Hawke," Fenris replied, "And if you forgot, I was on your side in Kirkwall."

"Because Hawke was pregnant and you weren't going to fight against her."

"No, because she was right."

Anders laughed even harder. "Do you finally get it now?"

Fenris exhaled angrily. "Yes. I get it. No one is going to take Mal away from Beth and I."

So Mal was the mage. Anders looked at the two girls. Despite being twins, they didn't look identical. Mal took much more after her father with her darker skin tone and large green eyes. Her mouth and nose also were clearly Fenris. Beth looked more like Hawke. She was paler with her mother's nose and mouth. But she had the same black hair and large green eyes as her sister. Yet, Mal, the one more like Fenris in appearance, was the mage.

Mal was looking at the floor but Beth looked right back at Anders. She just blinked at him.

"Consider yourself lucky," Anders said, looking back at Fenris, "Now that the Divine abolished all the circles, no one's going to take her away."

"So I've heard," Fenris replied.

"Who's her teacher?"

"She doesn't have one."

And that's why there had been a fire. "She needs a teacher. She won't be able to control it until someone teaches her. Not to mention the demons." At least they were in the country with no shortage of mages. There were probably plenty of people Fenris could ask to teach Mal.

Fenris nodded. "I'll find one. My daughter won't fall prey to a demon."

And Anders believed that. Fenris was clearly a protective father. And in the three years that Hawke was gone, he had kept them safe. They obviously adored him and he loved them as well. They were a sweet little family, even if they were missing a piece. It was such a shame that Mal and Beth would never know their mother. Fate Hawke was an incredible person. She would have been a great mother.

"In that case, I'm sure my clinic is full by now," Anders said, "Unless you have any more injuries you didn't mention."

"No," Fenris said. Then slowly, he added, "Thank you."

Anders could barely believe he heard Fenris actually  _ thanking _ him. He'd changed so much since Kirkwall.

"You're welcome," he found himself saying. They were being  _ civil _ to each other. Maybe because the six year olds were standing right there. They were clearly the catalyst for Fenris's change. "Don't get yourself killed. For your girls if no one else."

Fenris scoffed. That was more like it. 

"Ser," Beth said. She stepped forward and opened her hand. There were some coins, mostly coppers. "Thank you for saving Papa."

"You can keep those," Anders said, "I'm happy to help your papa." He looked between the two girls. "You two stay out of trouble, alright?"

They both nodded. 

With that Anders left. As he passed by an open window, he heard Beth ask, "Do you know him, Papa?"

"That was Anders. He was a friend of your mother's a long time ago," Fenris replied, "He helped her give birth to you both."

"He's nice," Mal said.

"Yes, he is."

Anders couldn't help but chuckle as he walked away. It must have eaten Fenris up inside to say that.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading. Please leave a comment or kudos if you liked the story or want to see more of Fate and Fenris' daughters. :)
> 
> If you'd like to see sneak previews of my upcoming works and get writing tips, please check out my writing blog: a-writing-trickster-angel.tumblr.com


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